AT&T Leads Initiative to Train Military Veterans for Careers in Cybersecurity

 AT&T teams up with NPower to enhance cybersecurity curriculum focused on helping to protect America’s data infrastructure

Today, in continued collaboration with NPower, AT&T* announced a program to train Dallas-area military veterans and their families for careers in the cybersecurity industry. The contribution to NPower totals $200,000 and will support military veterans and family members in underserved communities.

As an increased number of people turn to online programs to maintain and establish routines during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a greater need for trained cybersecurity professionals who can help keep our critical online infrastructure safe. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the employment prospects for information security analysts is continuing to grow much faster than all other occupations across the country.

AT&T has worked with NPower, a national nonprofit organization that specializes in delivering cutting-edge information technology training to veterans and their families in underserved communities, to augment their curriculum and tailor it to meet the needs of military veterans and prepare them for successful careers in the cybersecurity field.

“As more people use digital communications to stay connected during the COVID-19 crisis, our country needs more cybersecurity professionals who are ready to help lead the fight against cybercrime,” said Roger Thornton, VP, Products and Technology, AT&T Cybersecurity. “Military veterans are perfect candidates for these positions because they already have many of the technical skills required for a career in information technology. At AT&T, we are proud to employ a large number of military veterans, and we are pleased to be working with NPower to prepare even more veterans for a rewarding career that will allow them to help protect our critical digital infrastructure.”

In November 2019, AT&T reached our goal to hire 20,000 veterans by 2020 – ahead of schedule – and we remain focused on identifying new opportunities for veterans so that they can continue to succeed in a variety of industries and jobs, including cybersecurity-related careers.

NPower’s curriculum exposes students to security and cloud architecture, how to diagnose networks, manage operating systems and utilize security tools  to address vulnerabilities and threats. Students have an opportunity to earn both CompTIA Security+ and Linux+ certifications. AT&T’s contribution  to NPower will support 25 veterans and military spouses in receiving the skills necessary to succeed in jobs of the future. 

“We are grateful for AT&T's commitment to supporting quality technical training for our nation's veterans," said Russ Medina, Executive Director of NPower Texas and US Army (RET). “We believe that this effort will eventually provide an important pipeline of dedicated cybersecurity professionals to help protect American consumers and businesses from these growing threats. This contribution  will allow us to continue to offer state-of-the-art cyber certification programs to make sure our veterans and military spouses receive the best possible training for a successful career in information security.”

To learn more about the commitment AT&T is making to support veterans, click here.